R51 internet connection issue

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Nohbody · #1 Post by **Nohbody** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 3:12 pm

Yesterday, I bought a used R51 for use on my occasional road trips, but the main thing I bought it for (internet access) has been uncooperative.

I've tried connecting through wireless via my router and connecting via ethernet directly to my cable modem, but while I'm able to get the system to successfully connect to the internet I can't actually surf anywhere.

I can ping the router just fine, but when I try to go to anything off the network the system can look up the domain name's IP address, it times out on actually transferring any data. Nothing in the device manager related to internet connectivity shows up with a ! or X icon (there is one unknown hanging off of ACPI, but it doesn't seem to affect anything, and I dunno what it's supposed to be), and XP's connection troubleshooter is unable to figure out why I can't connect.

As there's useful software installed beyond what comes on the box, without the installation media, I'm reluctant to zap everything and start from the scratch with a fresh WXP3 install (didn't get any recovery software, either).

The setup:
* R51-1830 (dunno the last part of the designation, nor where to find it) w/ XP SP3, all drivers updated a few days prior to purchase by the previous owner, original hardware configuration
* Charter internet service, Ubee D3.0 modem
* Belkin F5D7230-4 (firmware updated about a week ago, latest version)

Help!

kaede · #2 Post by **kaede** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 6:28 pm

if another machine works fine with your router. it could be southbridge or the wireless card problem. if you have usb wireless dongle you can try to use it

Nohbody · #3 Post by **Nohbody** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 6:57 pm

The same problem exists with a wired connection directly to the modem itself, and the router is feeding the computer with which I'm posting in this thread, so I'm fairly sure it's not an issue with the router or with the wireless adapter in the laptop.

ajkula66 · #4 Post by **ajkula66** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 7:29 pm

What AV software are you running?

Nohbody · #5 Post by **Nohbody** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 7:41 pm

At the moment, I'm not running any. I was planning on putting AVG on there (not the best, I know, but what I'm comfortable with), but this connectivity issue is first priority.

(I have another computer with a CD/DVD burner, so lack of online isn't a problem in regards to AV.)

Nohbody · #6 Post by **Nohbody** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 8:10 pm

So far, no luck with various attempts at getting things running.

It's looking like I may have to kiss off the extra software and wipe it down to bare metal, so to speak. The recovery partition that was supposed to be on the drive... isn't, so it's either futz around with installing an OEM copy of XP Pro or pay for a recovery disc from IBM. Neither is particularly appealing, but then again there's not much appeal in a $150 paperweight, either.

(The extra software isn't really anything I actually need, just that it would've been nice to keep it.)

ajkula66 · #7 Post by **ajkula66** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 8:17 pm

I'm sure you can pick up a set of recovery disks in this forum's marketplace for $25 or thereabouts...

Good luck.

#8 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 6:33 am

Here's the HMM to take that machine apart: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-53169

Upon booting, immediately press F1, which will bring you into the BIOS.
There you will find the machine Type/Model after System-unit serial number, e.g. 1830Y18xxxxxxx
If you turn the laptop over, on the bottom should also be a small label with e.g. TYPE: 1830-xxx S/N: 99-12345
You'll also find a small lid there, open it up, remove the RAM (if any) and tell us the P/N or FRU you will find on a small white label.
That's the motherboard part number.

Nohbody · #9 Post by **Nohbody** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 8:10 am

Type 1830-BTU S/N 99-AAF60

No extra memory installed (which I may address later at some point, if the 7200 rpm HDD I ordered doesn't sufficiently speed things up; 512MB is kinda cruddy for XP, but I'm not looking to use it for anything requiring a lot of firepower, either, and my wallet can temper limited degrees of impatience

)

MB P/N: 93P4258

#10 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 9:37 am

Product: ThinkPad R51 1830-BTU
Original description: P M 1.5GHz, 512MB RAM, 40GB 4200rpm HDD, 15 XGA(1024x768) TFT LCD, 32MB ATI Radeon 9000, 24x24x24x/8x CD-RW/DVD, Intel 802.11b/g wireless, Modem, 1Gb Ether, UltraNav, Sec Chip, IEEE 1394, 6 cell Li-Ion Batt, WinXP Pro

The original motherboard has been exchanged at some time for your current one with 32MB ATI Radeon 7500, a less powerful GPU version.
Have you checked that the antenna wires can move freely (i.e. not squeezed between LCD hinge and chassis), and are properly connected?

Nohbody · #11 Post by **Nohbody** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 10:38 am

I haven't actually cracked open the case, beyond opening the memory door.

How would the wireless antenna being set up wrong affect the ethernet port, though? I wasn't able to go online with a wired connection connected directly to the cable modem, either.

(Emphasis because it seems that everyone keeps missing that I've mentioned, several times in this thread, that it's not just a wireless problem.)

Also, if there was a problem with the antenna, would the task tray thingy show the signal strength as being "excellent"? (Barring hardware issues the wireless signal had better be strong, given the router is all of like 4 feet away, in the same room with no obstructions between laptop and router.

)

In regards to the mobo change, it wouldn't surprise me that the previous owner sent it in for servicing, and got the weaker board substituted without noticing the change.

#12 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:13 am

Shorting the antenna could influence the internet signal, whether wifi or ethernet.
Have you tried disabling the firewall?
Try putting pressure on the Southbridge chip (big Intel chip under the wifi card). Any better?

Nohbody · #13 Post by **Nohbody** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:17 am

Windows firewall is one of the first things I disable when setting up a new (-to-me or otherwise) computer. It's more of a hassle than it's worth, for me (who knows not to click strange attachments, and has a much more capable router hardware firewall).

As for opening the case, that'll have to wait until tomorrow. I'm about to take off for RL stuff shortly, and don't trust the parts to not vanish if I disassemble then leave it taken apart overnight.

Nohbody · #14 Post by **Nohbody** » Thu Mar 24, 2011 12:16 pm

Ok, I opened up the box, and while I wasn't faced with Pandora's problem (Greek mythology, obviously, not the space smurfs

), I didn't see anything wrong in there, either. Nothing was pinched, loose, or otherwise out of spec.

After reassembling everything and powering it up, I'm still unable to go online, with the same issue as before: Browser can do DNS lookups, but can't do anything with a site after successfully looking up the IP/name mapping.

kaede · #15 Post by **kaede** » Thu Mar 24, 2011 2:16 pm

if dns lookup works. theres an issue with your browser most probably. or else try to google winsock fix.

Nohbody · #16 Post by **Nohbody** » Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:55 pm

I forgot to mention I also tried pinging several websites from a command prompt. It looked up the IPs fine, but the packets all timed out.

Anyway, just for giggles and grins, I did try the winsock fix thing, to no effect. Still won't surf.

Nohbody · #17 Post by **Nohbody** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 6:42 pm

Argh, I'm an idiot.

After R&Ring onto a new HDD, I find out that it was apparently the router's DMZ setting that was the problem. Disabling that (why I had it on in the first place I have no idea, other than trying to troubleshoot some connection issue in the past) and restarting the router cleared everything up, and I can surf fine from the laptop.

(How that would affect the direct-to-modem connection I have no idea... tomorrow I'll see about the old install on the OEM HDD and see if that can connect now.)

Oh well...

Nohbody · #18 Post by **Nohbody** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 11:04 am

Ok, put the old HDD back in to try it, and it won't connect, while it will connect with the factory install from R&R. As I now know it's not a hardware problem, though, I'm just going to let that particular sleeping dog lay (lie? I can never remember).